Thomas howblls



(Model.)

T. H'OWELLS. Piano Forte.

No. 229,134. y Patented June 22,1880.

IN J EN Tm F1- TA'. Zoll/afl@ any NIETERS, PHDTO-LITHOGRAPHER, wASmNGToN, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS HOVVELLS, OF AUOKLAND, NEW ZEALAND.

PIANO-FORTE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,134, dated June 22, 1880.

Application lcd August 7, 1878. Patented in England January S, 187B.

To all w/Lom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TnoMAs HowELLs, of Auckland, in the Oolony of New Zealand, gentleman, have invent-ed certain Improvements in Piano-Fortes, of which the following is a speciiication.

The object of my invention is to obtain increased strength and portability and considerable reduction in thesize and weight as conipared with the piano-fortes at present in use, and more especially' as compared with the grand piano-forte; and my invention consists ofacombination of devices in which the strings or wires are stretched horizontally along the exterior of a hollow cylinder or frame-work. The action operates upon the strings or wires from the interior of the cylinder or frame-work with a curved or polygonal sound-board, to suit the shape of the said cylinder or framework and strings, the subsidiary parts being arranged as hereinafter described.

In order to explain more fully the nature of the said invention and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I will describe an Ainstrument constructed in accordance therewith and corresponding to a cottage piano-forte of the ordinary construction and power, and for that purpose shall refer to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and to the letters and figures marked thereon.

It will be understood, however, that I do not intend to coniine myself to the materials or dimensions named, as they a're given by way of example, and would vary for different classes of instruments.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a vertical transverse section, showing the action for one note. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the cylinder and sound-board, showing the spiral-shaped slot through the periphery of the latter for the passage of the hammer-shanks.

rEhe letters O and B indicate two cylindrical frames, the former of which contains a part of the action, and the latter being the soundboard.

rlhrongh the entire length of the cylinder and sound-board, at their upper portion, are cut or created longitudinal openings for the passage of the devices to actnate the hammer, as hereinafter described.

A board (shown at D3) is attached tothe edges of the cylinder and sound-board in the longitudinal opening, which board inclincs backward, and is suitably attached in position. Another board, (shown at 1),) not quite so wide as the other, is fixed to the front edge of the opening, a sufficient space being left between these boards for the passage and play 6o of the levers which operate the hammers upon the strings of the instrument.

At D is indicated a bifurcated standard or draw-head, the shank of which is attached to the rear board, D3. The free and bifurcated end of this standard passes downward toward the center of cylinder O, and upon a piu which passes through the standard at its bifurcated end is arranged a double are or rocking disk,

O, which is embraced by the b ifurcated end of 7o the standard. The disk O is cut away from its Lipper periphery toward its center, forming a shoulder, as shown at O3, faced by a damper or cushion, which bears against a pin, O4, extending between the prongs of the standard D. The opposite periphery of the rocking disk O is also out away, forming a second shoulder, O', faced with a cushion, which bears upon the shoulder of a draw-head and operates it.

Upon the lower part of the inner periphery of the cylinder O is fastened the slotted bar, (shown at L,) in which is pivoted the movable vertical arm K, controlled by the hooked spring M and cord N.

To the upper end of the arm K is pivoted the slotted horizontal arm or draw-head I, both the arms K and I being operated at their shoulder or point of attachment by the shoulder O' of the rocking disk O. 9o

To the arm I is attached the hammer-shank F, which passes through the cylinder O by means of the channel H, cut through the latter. To the hammer-shank F is attached the hammer E, which, operated by the shoulder O', plays back and forth with a reciprocating motion through a spiral slot or opening, G, in the cylindrical or polygonal sound-board B', and strikes the string or wire The slot or opening G runs round the soundroo board B' in a spiral direction, as shown in Fig. 2, and the holes or channels H in the cylinder O, for the passage of the hammer-shanks F, are arranged in a similar spiral manner.

The piano strings or wires are arranged above the soundingboard B b y means of suitable pegs and bridges, the sounding-board being circular or polygonal in shape, so as to encircle or surround the cylinder C.

The rocking disk O is operated by means of the Vertical bifurcated connecting rod or arm Q, the bifurcated extremity of which is pivoted to the disk O at a point nearits outer periphery, as shown at O2.

The connecting-rod Q passes up through the opening in the cylinder and souiuling-board, and its upper end terminates in a wire, K, which passes through the upper one, S, of a pair of hinged braces, R and S, through a slot, r, in the lower one of which it also passes. The vertical play of the upper lever, S, is controlled by the button T upon the wire K.

A suitable cushion or damper intel-venes bctween the button T and lever S. The lower lever, R', is hinged at W to the shank or bar, A, which is attached to the rail A, and isoperated by the key of the instrument. The motion of the lever is controlled by the hooked spring B2 and string a, and upon its upper surface it is provided with the button G, to allow of the play of the lever S upon it.

The upper lever, S, is hinged at V to a standard, which is attached to the frame-work of the instrument, and its lower surface is furnished with a cushion or damper where it plays upon the button C of lever R.

To the inner end of the key A3, which is suitably pivoted between the key-board I and framework I, is fastened the vertical arm E', upon the base of which is pivoted the hopper D, having the projection d at its free extremity.

The play of the hopper D is controlled by means ofthe spring G and button F upon the piu f, which passes through the hopper and is fastened into the upper extremity of vertical arm E. A suitable cushion or damper intervenes between the button F and hopper D.

The upper end of the hopper D plays upon the outer or free end of hinged lever R and operates it, both the surfaces in contact being furnished with suitable cushions or dampers.

The mechanism just described forms part of the action by means of which a single note is struck, and a similar combination of devices is necessary for each key upon the key-board. The mechanism for each successive note is arranged along the openings in the cylinder and sounding-board, and the hammers strike upon the strings through slots or openin gs arranged in a spiral direction round the soun dingboard B.

Having thus described at length the various portions of my device, I will now proceed to show how it can be most satisfactorily operated.

The key A3 being depressed, the hopper D on vertical arin E presses upward against the hinged lever R by means of the cushioned projection d, throwing the lever upward, The button G on lever R presses against lever S, moving it upward until it strikes the button T on wire K and lifts the rod Q upward. The upward motion of the rod Q, operates the rotating disk O, disengages its shoulder O from contact with the pin O4 of standard D, and throws the shoulder O forward, carrying draw-head I with it, thus driving the hammer E through the openings in the sounding-board B until it strikes the string or wire B.

What I claim isl. A piano having a hollow cylinder, in which is contained the operative hammer action or mechanism, arranged substantially as described, whereby the hammers are made to impiuge upon the wires or strings of the piano through channels or openings in the wall of such cylinder, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the operative nicchanism of the hammers of a piano, contained within a hollow cylinder, with the levers and devices for conveying motion from the keys to the hammers by means of aconnecting-rod or other suitable device passing through a slot or opening in such cylinder, substantially as set forth and described.

3. The cylinder C, having channels II, in combination with cylindrical or polygonal sound-board B', having the spirally-arranged slot G, the front and rear boards, I) D3, and the wires or strings B, substantially as dcscribed.

a. The combination of the cylinder G and sounding-board B', having the rear and front boards, D3 and D, with the standard D, the rocking disk O, having shoulders Os and O, the slotted bar L, arm K, hooked spring M, cord N, slotted draw-head I, hammer-shank F, and hammer E, substantially as shown.

5. The combination of the rotating disk O with the connecting-rod Q, having its wire K and button T, substantially as described.

6. The connecting-rod Q, in combination with the lower hinged lever R', having its button C and slot r, shank A', hooked spring B2, string c', rail A, and upper lever, S, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the lower lever, R', with the hopper D', having its projection d, pin f, button IW, and spring G, with the vertical arm E, the key A3, and the keyboard l', all substantially as described, and :for the pur pose set forth.

THOMAS I-IOWELLS.

In presence of- SINGLETON ROCHFORT, Q/"Ancvland, Notary Public.

ROBERT GRAHAM, J. P.,

0] Ellcrslz'c, a thc suburbs ofAncrIcnd, laad proprietor.

IOO

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